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About Vernonia's voice. (Vernonia, OR) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (April 21, 2016)
community april21 2016 County Voters The Differences Between Candidates there is a lot left to do. It’s going to take Have Decisions By Scott Laird steady and knowledgeable leadership to continued from front page permanent hospital tax in 2010. He has worked with the cities of St. Helens and Scappoose on urban renewal and eco- nomic development. He has served as a Community Ambassador for The Ford Family Foundation and has been in- volved with CASA. He is the owner of Preheim Business Center (formerly Pre- heim Computers) for the last 18 years. He previously ran for County Clerk in 2014. Margaret Magruder of Clats- kanie has served as a member of the Co- lumbia County Budget Committee for almost 20 years and as Coordinator of the Lower Columbia River Watershed Council since 1996. She was a mem- ber of the Oregon Board of Agriculture for eight years. Magruder currently is a member of the Oregon Sheep Commis- sion and the Oregon State Weed Board. She has been a Board member of the Lower Columbia Estuary Partnership for over 15 years. She is a member of the Clatskanie - Quincy Citizens Plan- ning Advisory Committee (CPAC). Magruder formerly served on the Co- lumbia School District 5J Board of Di- rectors. Wayne Mayo has served as a Park Commissioner in St. Helens and as a Planning Commissioner in Scappoose. He has worked as a lumber broker and a property manager and has been a build- ing contractor since 1980. He has raised seven children and has 11 grandchil- dren. Mayo previously ran for County Commissioner in 2014. The race for Position 3 is a clash of differences. Tardiff, a tax professional run- ning for his first elected office, currently serves on the Scappoose School Board Budget Committee. He is positioning himself as a “new voice” for Columbia County who says his experience audit- ing local, county and state governments around the country gives him the skills and knowledge to understand budgets, finances, state regulations and tax laws. Hyde, of Vernonia, has been a Columbia County Commissioner for twenty years and points to economic and business growth during his time in office. He chairs economic develop- ment steering committees at both the state and federal level and lists his in- volvement in the development of the Crown-Zellerbach Trail as one of his accomplishments while in office. Alex Tardiff is opposing Tony Hyde in the race for County Commis- sioner, Position 3. The difference be- tween the two candidates is pretty clear. Tardiff is young, new to run- ning for elected office, and is running on a platform of change. He says Colum- bia County has been mismanaged in the past and needs more accountability and transparency. Hyde has been a County Com- missioner for twenty years after previ- ously serving as a Vernonia City Coun- cilor and then the Mayor. This may be Hyde’s last run at elected office. He says Columbia County is on the brink of great things and this is not the time to change leadership. Tardiff recently met with citi- zens in Vernonia on Saturday, April 9 over coffee at the Blue House Cafe. Following that meeting, I met with Tony Hyde for coffee at the Black Iron Grill. The following are some of issues both candidates discussed. Why they are running Tardiff opened his comments by talking about growing up in Columbia County and seeing less and less access for residents to natural places, along with a lack of investment in the county park system. “If we’re going to take away our natural settings and our natu- ral playgrounds then we need to devel- op our parks and rec system and make it something we can all be proud of,” said Tardiff. Tardiff points to his background in accounting, financial analytics, and tax regulations as a way for him to positively impact government at the county level. “I feel like I have the skills necessary to step in to the struggles that Columbia County is facing and provide viable solutions needed to move us forward,” said Tardiff. Hyde points to his role in help- ing bring the newly announced Oregon Manufacturing Innovation District (OMID) to Scappoose, as just one of many economic development projects he has helped shepherd into Columbia County. The OMID will partner with Portland Community College to develop an apprenticeship training and manufacturing center in Columbia County. “This will be transformational, not only for Columbia County, but for the state of Oregon,” said Hyde. “There is no other site like it in the entire United States. I’ve had a big role in that and make that happen.” While Hyde points to numerous business projects he’s helped develop, he also admits he’s concerned that 75 percent of Columbia County workers commute out of the county. “That is devastating to our economy and the so- cial infrastructure of our communities,” said Hyde. “That has been, and always will be, my main focus.” Port Westward development “I think Port Westward has been a huge thorn in our side,” said Tardiff, discussing the large industrial site on the Columbia River. “We’ve invested mil- lions and millions of dollars out there, and when you really start looking at it and the trail of where it goes and how that money is being spent, you start to question why all of us in the county are paying for this multi-million dollar bust? Why aren’t our communities get- ting that money? Vernonia could use that money to help get it back on its feet. We need to fix that and stop wasting our money.” When asked about the waste of resources trying to bring industry and jobs to Port Westward, Hyde sees it dif- ferently and responded that the County used the tools available, including the creation of an urban renewal district, to develop what he described as one of the most beautiful industrial sites left in the state of Oregon, with a deep water port. Hyde said the County invested in the infrastructure and has since captured taxes from new industry to pay off that April 28, 2016 7-9 pm The Dairy Creek West Meeting Hall Stub Stewart State Park 30380 NW Hwy 47 Buxton, OR 97109 Interested public welcome Steve Kruger, Park Ranger 503-324-0606 x223 Publisher and Managing Editor Scott Laird 503-367-0098 scott@vernoniasvoice.com Contributors Chip Bubl Tobie Finzel Karen Kain Stacey Lynn Aaron Miller Karen Miller Shannon Romtvedt Robert Schattschneider Photography Karen Kain Scott Laird Want to advertise? Have an article? Contact: scott@vernoniasvoice.com One year subscriptions (24 issues) $35 Vernonia’s Voice is published on the 1st and 3rd Thursday of each month. Vernonia’s Voice, LLC PO Box 55 Vernonia, OR 97064 503-367-0098 www.VernoniasVoice.com continued on page 10 FULL SPORTS PACKAGE! Happy Hour Mon-Fri 4-7 LIVE MUSIC Sat, May 14th Triple Edge Band • Specialty hamburgers Sat, June 11th • 8 Draft beers & mixed drinks Triple Edge Band • 5 Craft beers on tap • Pool tables & satelite TV • Free Wi-fi “BIKER FRIENDLY” • Beer & Kegs to go Sun - Thurs 11 AM - Midnight • 733 Bridge St, Vernonia Cedar Side Inn Friends of Stub Stewart State Park and Banks-Vernonia State Trail Monthly Meeting 3 Karaoke Every 2nd & Last Friday Taco Tuesday from opening until 9pm 3 hardshell or 1 softshell $4.25 Ladies’ Night Fri - Sat 11 AM - 2:30 AM • 503-429-9999 Upper Nehalem Watershed Council Meeting 6:30 pm on Thursday April 28, 2016 at the UNWC office 1201 Texas Ave. Suite A Entrance is around the back of the School District building every Thursday 6pm-close • Free Pool • Free WiFi • Specialty Pizzas iheck our Facebook page for daily specials and upcoming events 756 Bridge Street, Vernonia 503-429-5841 For more info call (503) 429-0869 or email maggie@nehalem.org
